Martial arts wanted to dispel the idea that its just there to hurt, oppress and bully people.

Now people look to Martial Artists as productive people of society, as more people know Martial Arts, less criminals succeed...

Although the effect on Martial Artists over criminals is hugely small... Just knowing its a positive effect, instead of a negative is good.

Just because you're a peace liking guy doesn't mean there won't be times you gotta defend yourself. If everyone knew proper defense techniques there also would be less crime, because the mental discipline it takes to achieve each level is unattractive to the common criminal who wants something without working.

ADMIN JUST SO YOU KNOW, as you probably already do, on the website www.chessbase.com which is a big chess site, their front page article is the fark photoshop of kasparov losing a game to deep junior, as a chess and fark fan i thought i should let you know, i hope that it is important and that you see it down here in this THREAD.

I remember this story from a few months ago. The only thing that woulld have been funnier than kicking his ass would be if they had put the sorry bastard out of his misery. My wife and I own a van, which usually has an infant in a passenger seat. I am her guardian and parent. She depends soley on myself and my wife for her welfare and protection. If someone, especially a low life scumbag who for some reason thinks I owe him something or that I am going to give up possesions that I have sacrificed for, tries to jack me, they die. Period. There is no way that this ignorant asshat could have known who was in the van and who wasn't. He got off easy. So the moral of the story is, since you don't know who I am or what i look like, but you know I drive a minivan and and have a baby, if anyone reading this ever goes to jack a minivan and open the door to find a man and a baby in the back seat, you'd better apologize, turn away quietly and politely, and run like hell. Because it could be me, or someone like me, and if you're really nice, you may not get a bullet in the brain.

Easy there compadre! I don't think many carjackers read Fark :-) Also, just because you conceal carry in your van, don't assume that's a cure-all. I am expert rated with a pistol, and have practiced shotokan, judo, and aikido. I still understand that being aware of my surroundings is more important than being willing to shoot a carjacker. Plus if the carjacker comes out of nowhere and has a pistol on in your face before you know what's up, got a contingency plan for that?

"I remember this story from a few months ago. The only thing that woulld have been funnier than kicking his ass would be if they had put the sorry bastard out of his misery. My wife and I own a van, which usually has an infant in a passenger seat. I am her guardian and parent. She depends soley on myself and my wife for her welfare and protection. If someone, especially a low life scumbag who for some reason thinks I owe him something or that I am going to give up possesions that I have sacrificed for, tries to jack me, they die. Period. There is no way that this ignorant asshat could have known who was in the van and who wasn't. He got off easy. So the moral of the story is, since you don't know who I am or what i look like, but you know I drive a minivan and and have a baby, if anyone reading this ever goes to jack a minivan and open the door to find a man and a baby in the back seat, you'd better apologize, turn away quietly and politely, and run like hell. Because it could be me, or someone like me, and if you're really nice, you may not get a bullet in the brain.

This reminds me of a cool story:I was about 11 or twelve at the time, and had remained late at the dojo to watch the Black Belt class, which both my parents were in. As the class was over, and everyone was walking to the front to get their shoes on, a young woman was ambushed using an outdoor bank machine about 40 yards away; two punks punched her, and lifted her purse. Luckily for this girl, she screamed.Well, as soon as she screamed, about 15 black belts, still in their uniforms, ran out the front door. The two criminals bolted, and the three fastest guys in our club (one of whom is a Toronto cop now) chased them barefoot through the park in the pouring rain, and they managed to tackle and hold the one guy with the purse, while his buddy just kept running (the cops caught the other one). Meanwhile everyone else helped the lady - it turns out her boyfriend was at the other end of the mall buying beer, and he left her at the bank machine by herself. The three guys that ran into the park after the theives got police commendations.